By Liza Soriano
MANILA — AGRI Party-list Rep. Wilbert Lee has filed a resolution seeking to probe the alleged hospital detention of relatives of deceased patients.
Lee also seeks to investigate the refusal to release death certificates and other relevant medical documents due to the unsettled bills of the patient, forcing those involved to find another person to replace them in the hospital before they are allowed to leave its premises—a scheme known as “palit-ulo.”
“Hospitals should be visited for medical treatment, not for the imprisonment of patients and their relatives. Those who commit this crime are demons, adding to the burden and suffering of patients and their families,” he emphasized.
“What if they were the ones detained while worrying about the health of their loved ones or grieving the death of a family member?”
“Hospitals should provide care, not confinement. They should prioritize compassion over profit. Our hospitals should exhibit empathy, not infliction of pain,” Lee said.
In House Resolution No. 1674, Lee recounted the experiences of reported “palit-ulo” victims in the hospital, such as Richel Mae Alvaro, who was barred from leaving its premises due to her husband’s unsettled bill.
The lawmaker stated that hospitals practicing the “palit-ulo” scheme are criminally liable for Serious Illegal Detention and Slight Illegal Detention under the Revised Penal Code.
“Unsettled hospital bills do not warrant criminal charges under our laws, and they certainly do not justify compulsory confinement of patients in a hospital. This outrageous and illegal practice must stop!” Lee asserted.
(el Amigo/MNM)
